Can't send messages to non-contacts
This limit is applied to accounts that other users have reported for unwanted messages. While it is active, you can only message people who have your number saved as a contact.
What it looks like
- Messages to people who do not have you in their contacts do not go through.
- Existing conversations with contacts are unaffected.
- You can still read everything normally.
Why it happened
Enough recipients reported messages from the account. The usual pattern is contacting a lot of people who never asked to hear from you: promotion, recruitment, outreach lists, or forwarding the same message widely. Whether the intent was commercial does not matter much; what triggers reports is that the recipients did not expect it.
Appealing
If you believe it was applied wrongly, use the appeal page Telegram links from the restriction notice. Explain what the account is for and who you were messaging. One clear appeal is better than several: duplicates do not move the queue, and opening a second account while the appeal is pending reads as evasion rather than dispute.
How to reach people without tripping it
- Publish a username and let people start the conversation.
- Run a channel for announcements, so subscribers opt in.
- Use invite links rather than adding people to groups yourself.
- Use a bot for anything automated. Users press Start, which is consent by design.